Coaxially shielded cables are well known as the highest fidelity signal wiring for digital signals and analog signals through the microwave frequency range. The advent of large scale integrated circuits has increased the density and complexity of electronic circuitry to the point where coaxially shielded cables are often required for interconnection in high density applications. However, the usefulness of coaxially shielded cables has been limited by cumbersome and time consuming connection methods.
An electrical connector may be defined as a device used to provide rapid, efficient, connect-disconnect service for an electrical conductor. Electrical connectors have been designed for use with precision miniaturized coaxial cables, such as but not limited to the electrical connectors described in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,867,707; 5,032,089; 5,194,020; and 5,190,472.
In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,707 provides for a shield integrated contact connector for use with individual and coaxial cables. The shield integrated contact connector includes a housing and retainer which are designed to permit modified coaxial cables to be plugged into a linear array of closely spaced standard pins on printed circuit boards and other high density grouped signal transmission configurations. Although, this connector has operated with success during use thereof, the connector does not permit an individual coaxial cable to be freely rotatable to thereby relieve mechanical stress at the connector housing. Additionally, the retainer is physically separable from the housing and the coaxial cable. This design permits the retainer to be lost or otherwise misplaced during use. Also, assembly of the shield integrated contact assembly having a removable retainer is often tedious.
There is a need for an improved connector system for electrical cables, such as but not limited to coaxial cables, which is simple in design, which accommodates individually removable electrical cables, and which relieves mechanical stress upon an individual electrical cable of the connector system. Accordingly, a suitable improved connector system is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.